Jonathan Huberdeau‘s Calgary Flames debut was a family affair on Thursday.
The Flames forward’s 22-year-old sister, Josiane, sang the US National Anthem before their season opener against the Colorado Avalanche at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Josiane belted out the tune and received cheers from fans in attendance, including from her parents, who were there to support her and her brother for his first game with the Flames.
This wasn’t the first time Josiane has sung the national anthem before one of her big brother’s games.
“We started that [singing the anthem] when I was in junior and she was probably 14 at that time, even younger, actually,” Huberdeau said about his sister. “Just in Florida she sang a lot against Montreal. A lot of family was at the game, so we just thought it was cool. Now she’s been asking me every year, so then when I got traded here, she’s like ‘ah, you can ask if I can sing.’ That’s a good idea, and the first game she is here so I might as well ask and the Flames have been great and they said yes.”
Unlike his sister, Huberdeau gets a little stage fright when it comes to his own musical skills.
“I love to sing,” Huberdeau said. “But just in the shower.”
–NHL.com independent correspondent Aaron Vickers contributed to this report.
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